Boston Flora

Tag: ELA

  • Tuesday, July 11, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Eco-Tour: Irrigation Tools and Techniques at The Greenway and Seaport Parks

    Landscapes and recreational facilities are the green space that provide ecosystem services and aesthetics that enhance our quality of life in urban settings. With the growing variability of weather, maintaining these landscapes relies on well-designed irrigation systems to conserve water and the energy to deliver it.

    Join The Ecological Landscape Alliance on Tuesday, July 11 at 10 am for a tour to two urban sites in downtown Boston that demonstrate a variety of irrigation types and practices to help save water.

    First stop on the tour is the Rose Kennedy Greenway, to learn about the Conservancy’s approach to sustainable and frugal water management practices. The Conservancy takes advantage of Boston’s natural rainfall and supplements it with automated irrigation as needed. Appropriate irrigation system elements in conjunction with weather and plant monitoring inform the Conservancy adjustments to irrigation run times and frequency. The irrigation controllers have rain sensors which stop scheduled irrigation after a preset amount of rainfall has occurred. The Conservancy also employs hand watering for containers and newly planted materials. To further reduce the Greenway’s water consumption, the Conservancy regularly conducts audits of the irrigation system functionality and water usage to allow for quick detection and repair of leaks and malfunctions.

    The second stop on the tour is the Seaport District parks, to explore ways to irrigate urban street scapes and small pocket parks. Brian Vinchesi will be discussing the sustainability features of drip irrigation and tree irrigation for a diverse group of landscapes. He will also explain irrigation infrastructure, the smart controllers necessary to manage the system.

    The tour will review the irrigation technologies, design, and operational strategies being used to help save water while managing healthy landscapes. Brian will also explain how older systems might be improved to be more sustainable.

    Brian Vinchesi, who holds a degree in agricultural (irrigation) engineering, is President of Irrigation Consulting, a national irrigation design and consulting firm. Irrigation Consulting performs irrigation consulting services throughout the United States and overseas. Vinchesi has 34 years of irrigation design experience in the turf, landscape and golf sectors. He is responsible for field evaluation, construction administration and project management. He is a past president of the Irrigation Association and the American Society of Irrigation Consultants. He serves on many Irrigation Association committees including being chair or the Smart Water Applications Technology initiative as well as the IA Standards and Codes Committee. He is a LEED-AP, the 2015 Irrigation Association Industry Achievement Award Winner and the 2009 EPA WaterSense Irrigation Partner of the Year.

    $23 for ELA members, $33 for nonmembers. Register and see more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-irrigation-tools-techniques-greenway-seaport-parks/#sthash.Z1AWE4QF.dpuf

  • Saturday, June 17, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Lush, Lovely, and Lawn-Free Gardens

    There is an exciting new trend in ecological landscape design that goes by many names lawn-free, no-mow, or lawn-alternative gardens. The incentives are many: lower maintenance, water conservation, reduced fertilizer/chemical use, increased biodiversity/habitat, and the greatest incentive – the stunning diversity of gardens!

    Carol Spitzer has been designing lawn-free gardens for many years and invites you to join her on Saturday, June 17 from 5 – 7 on a unique walking tour in Brookline Village. On this tour, we will walk through three different front yards where the existing lawns were removed and replaced with shrubs, perennials, groundcovers, and walkways. In all three projects, there were existing trees and plants that were incorporated into the new landscape.

    Each lawn-free project is different and comes with its own unique set of challenges. One of Carol’s projects included side-by-side condos whose owners had differing opinions about plant materials. A second project required a more welcoming landing and front steps, as well as a new walking path to the driveway. In addition to these three gardens designed by Carol, we will walk down an adjacent street, to view several other examples of lawn-free front yards.

    Lawn-free gardens require a fraction of the maintenance time of traditional lawns; provide a rich palette of color; introduce contrasting textures and fragrance; and increase curb appeal. Join us to explore lawn-alternative gardens and consider the rich tapestry that awaits in your own yard makeover.

    If you toured these gardens with Carol a couple of seasons ago, join us again to view the changes taking place as these landscapes continue to grow and thrive. Registrations are limited, reserve your space today! Ecological Landscape Alliance members $20, nonmembers $30.

    Carol Spitzer has been designing residential gardens in Brookline, Newton and greater Boston since 2002. She is a graduate of the Landscape Institute and has a commitment to use ecological design approaches and native plants whenever possible. Carol recently shared her landscape expertise in the ELA Newsletter article: Small Urban Gardens: Big Challenges, Greater Rewards. She may be reached at Carol Spitzer Landscape Design.

    See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/lush-lovely-lawn-free-gardens-2/#sthash.LlUTIbXP.dpuf

  • Tuesday, March 21, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Designing with Plant Communities in Mind Live Webinar

    Ecological plantings are gaining popularity, but also face challenges due to environmental conditions and cultural expectations. When these plantings fail, it discourages future ecological landscaping efforts. We won’t solve this problem if we continue to design as if it we were painting on canvas, perceiving plants as individual objects in space. It is time for a new approach: a plant community based approach that evolved from the world of ecological science. Join Claudia West on Tuesday, March 21 on line at 12:30 EST as she explains how plants fit together in the wild and how we can use this knowledge to create landscapes that are resilient, beautiful, and diverse. This presentation will provide information that is practical as well as inspiring.  This Ecological Landscape Alliance live webinar is free to ELA members, $10 to nonmembers.  See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-designing-with-plant-communities-in-mind/#sthash.pB873Ube.dpuf

    Claudia West is the ecological sales manager at North Creek Nurseries, a wholesale perennial grower in Landenberg, Pennsylvania. Ms. West holds a Master’s Degree of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. In her current role, Ms. West works closely with ecological design and restoration professionals, offering consultation services from initial project planning stages to adaptive management strategies after project completion. Her work is centered on the development of stable, layered planting designs and the desire to bring American native plants back into our landscape. Together with co-author Thomas Rainer she recently published her first book Planting in a Post-Wild World, which promotes a new approach to ecological planting design.

  • Saturday, February 25, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Design with Water in Mind

    On Saturday, February 25 from 9 – 12 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, learn techniques to help you direct, store, and use water in your garden with instructor Amy Nyman. We’ll discuss practices that can be applied to all conditions, from extremely dry soil to soil that inundates during storms. We’ll begin with an overview of site analysis, discuss various water management systems, and conclude with native plant selections suitable for various sites. $39 for NEWFS and co-sponsor Ecological Landscape Alliance members, $47 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/design-with-water-in-mind  Image from www.houzz.com.

  • Wednesday and Thursday, March 8 and 9 – The 23rd Annual ELA Conference and Eco-Marketplace

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance presents the 23rd Annual ELA Conference & Eco-Marketplace on March 8 and 9 at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Explore topics ranging from the role of aesthetics in ecological restoration to the carnivore’s role in the soil foodweb as we look for ways to design, build, and restore the landscape.

    March 8 includes:
    * Two workshops: The Power of Plants and Artful Stormwater Design
    * Keynote speaker: Noel Kingsbury, international, master plantsman and author
    Keynote Address: The Evolution of the Ecological Planting Design

    March 9 features eight Sessions and four Idea Exchanges covering a range of ecological topics including:
    * Landscapes as a Source of Environmental Change
    * The Art of Gardening -Techniques from Chanticleer
    * The Science of Soil Biology During Extended Drought
    * Native Grass and Wildflower Seeding

    Immerse yourself in this two-day exploration of principles and practices that support the living landscape.

    Full conference brochure and registration information is available at www.ecolandscaping.org.

  • Wednesday, January 18, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm, & Saturday, January 21, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Hometown Habitat, Stories of Bringing Nature Home

    Come to Garden in the Woods in Framingham on either Wednesday, January 18 at 2 or Saturday, January 21 at 4 for a screening of Hometown Habitat. Catherine Zimmerman (The Meadow Project) has teamed up with Doug Tallamy, PhD and the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council to produce a new film on native plants called Hometown Habitat . The Meadow Project and CCLC missions promote the principles of conservation landscaping and expand the practice of conservation landscaping throughout the Chesapeake Bay region.

    Hometown Habitat is a 90-minute environmental, education documentary focused on showing how and why native plants are critical to the survival and vitality of local ecosystems. Entomologist Doug Tallamy, whose research, books, and lectures on the misuse of non-native plants in landscaping sound the alarm about habitat and species loss, provides the narrative thread throughout the film. The message: “We can change the notion that humans are here and nature is some place else. It doesn’t have to, and shouldn’t be that way.” Each individual has the power to conserve resources, restore habitat for wildlife and bring beauty to their patch of earth.

    Award winning director Catherine Zimmerman and her film crew traveled across the country to visit Hometown Habitat Heroes, people – young and old and with varied backgrounds – who are reversing detrimental impacts on the land and in the water of major U.S. watersheds, one garden at a time. Catherine and the film crew wind their way through the watersheds of Florida, the prairies of the Mississippi River Basin, the streams and rivers of the Rocky Mountains, the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes and Columbia River to share success stories and works-in-progress that celebrate conservation landscaping that re-awakens and redefines our relationship with Nature.

    Along with the everyday Hometown Heroes, we meet ecologists, entomologists and other experts who will share the science behind how today’s ‘native-plants-know-best’ enthusiasts, landscape architects, and conservation groups are helping 20th century-minded city planners, businesses and developers appreciate the myriad 21st century benefits of low-maintenance, seasonally-dynamic, and eco-healthy landscape installations, that respect Nature’s original best practices.

    $18 ELA members, $25 nonmembers – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/screening-hometown-habitat-stories-of-bringing-nature-home/2017-01-18/#sthash.QuSWorED.dpuf

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  • Thursday, December 8, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Webinar: Evaluating Conservation Landscape Design

    This Ecological Landscape Alliance on line presentation by Ann English on Thursday, December 8 from 7 – 8 pm will focus on evaluation of landscape design which includes environmental as well as aesthetic assessment. A Conservation Landscape can take many forms and can conform to standard aesthetic assessment while providing valuable ecosystem services, such as runoff reduction and pollinator support. The webinar will cover the key components of a conservation landscape, and how to create aesthetically pleasing landscape solutions that require fewer synthetic inputs while applying typical form, color, texture, concept analysis aspects of evaluation.

    Ann English, RLA, ASLA, LEED® AP BD+C is the Program Manager for the RainScapes Program in the Watershed Management Division of the Montgomery County, MD Department of Environmental Protection. The RainScapes program promotes and implements projects which reduce storm water runoff and improve water quality on properties within Montgomery County, MD. The County offers technical and financial assistance (in the form of RainScapes Rewards Rebates) to encourage property owners to implement eligible RainScapes techniques on their property and has developed a training program for professionals that has been used as a model for other jurisdictions and colleges. Her career spans private, non-profit and governmental sectors as well as several years teaching at two universities, with focus on plants, designing with plants and how they perform in the environment and she is the designer of the LID Center’s rain garden templates,(2007). She earned her BA in American History from U. Penn, a Master’s of Regional Planning from the Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmember.  See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-evaluating-conservation-landscape-designs/#sthash.AJaWupoS.dpuf

  • Wednesday, November 16, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Webinar: Soil Amendments: What Works, What Should Be Avoided

    Soils are the base of the landscape. Their complexity can be overwhelming without proper tools to analyze and make best practice recommendations for clients and job sites. This free Ecological Landscape Alliance webinar on Wednesday, November 16 at 1 pm will discuss how to assess soil conditions and make a plan of action to preserve, protect, and promote soil health. Native soils, soil amendments, and engineered soils will be discussed. Image from www.rodaleorganiclife.com.

    Presenter Mark Highland recalls that “It was on a beautiful piece of Illinois farmland that I pushed his first shovel into garden soil.” After he “grew up,” Mark focused his M.S. degree studies in the Longwood Graduate Program on compost and potting soil. After the Longwood Graduate Program, Mark started The Organic Mechanic Soil Company, LLC in 2006. Mark has served as a consultant for the EPA and Institute for Local Self-Reliance, and recently received the Young Professional Award from the Perennial Plant Association. Mark currently resides in Chester County PA, with his wife, Amy and their two children.
    – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-soil-amendments-what-works-what-should-be-avoided/#sthash.ti2Km6da.dpuf

  • Thursday, November 10, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm – 2016 ELA Season’s End Summit: Landscape Design with Maintenance in Mind

    Beautifully designed landscapes are a delight to the senses. We all love the temptations shown in colorful garden publications, so full of promise and potential. All too often, the love affair ends when the maintenance begins. Join the Ecological Landscape Alliance on Thursday, November 10 at the Community Harvest Project Barn, 37 Wheeler Road in North Grafton for the 7th annual ELA Season’s End Summit to explore Landscape Design with Maintenance in Mind with our distinguished lineup of presenters. We will reconnect with colleagues, reflect on the past growing season, and get inspired for the next.

    Designing and Installing Landscapes After Invasive Species Removal

    Panel of Experts:
    Past ELA Presidents Explore Design and Maintenance
    – Panel Moderator, Theresa Sprague (Blue Flax Design), ELA President
    Panelists include past ELA Presidents Dennis Collins, M.L. Altobelli, and Trevor Smith.
    Darrah Cole (Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy)

    Creating Sustainability – sustainable design and maintenance on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.  Darrah will share the successes and challenges of a highly used, busy urban park. The Greenway is one of Boston’s only organically managed parks, comprised of a mix of design styles and approaches. The Greenway has many areas devoted to native and pollinator plants, along with a diverse collection of shrubs, trees and spring flowering bulbs. Darrah will discuss design intent and the details of plant selection, focusing on what has succeeded and where adjustments were required. Fitting all these pieces together to create a vibrant, healthy, beautiful environment in the midst of downtown Boston takes thoughtful ingenuity, collaboration, and a serious commitment to sustainable values.

    Christie Dustman (Christie Dustman & Company)- Design Solutions for Low Maintenance Landscapes

    Fee $85 – $110 – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/2016-ela-seasons-end-summit-landscape-design-with-maintenance-in-mind/#sthash.tLzreIOP.dpuf

  • Monday, October 17, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Eco-Tour: John Hancock Charles River Walking Path

    Join Ecological Landscape Alliance tour guide Trevor Smith on Monday, October 17 from 10:30 – 12:30 to learn about the half mile permeable walking trail that was recently constructed along the Charles River in back of the Wellesley Office Park on William Street in Wellesley.  The project includes two boardwalk bridges and multiple vista points overlooking the water.  The projet is on Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) land and was funded by John Hancock Real Estate USA.  The walkway was installed using Porous Pave™ a durable pervious paving material made from recycled truck tires. The mix is then spread like concrete and hardens into an extremely durable, highly permeable surface strong enough for low speed auto traffic, comfortable to walk on, and has little to no effect on the delicate hydrology of the area.

    The John Hancock Charles River Walking Path diverted 6000 tires from the landfill and can absorb 5,800 gallons of water per hour per square foot. In addition to the recycled content and high permeability, the surface is freeze and frost-heave resistant and provides significant traction. Normally such a permeable surface is used to reduce flooding and the impact of storm water. It works well for driveways and walkways because if resists freezing and cracking in winter and allows maximum return of water back into the ground. In this case however, the pervious surface is designed to provide a safe comfortable walking path through the woods without disrupting the normal water flow to the river and its inhabitants. The cost is $23 for ELA members, $33 for nonmembers. Register at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/john-hancock-charles-river-walking-path/#sthash.dAlG7tOY.dpuf

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